Russian beauty and cosplayer Anya - who bears an uncanny resemblance to Morena Baccarin - got the chance to meet Summer at Comic Con Russia 2015 and Nathan Fillion at this year's event. She was kind enough to share with us the story and photos of her magical encounters with the Firefly alumni.

Summer couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Anya in her Inara costume.

Comic Con Russia, October 3, 2015

2:00. Awakening in the middle of the night, an hour later I leave for the airport. Final check to make sure I have not forgotten anything, the first cosplay costume, the second costume, various small things, cosmetics, make-up, passport, tickets for Summer's autograph and photo op sessions...

09:40, arrival at Crocus Expo Exhibition Center. I'm on the show's floor and I have no idea where the service entrance for cosplayer is. With cries of "Let the cosplayer go!", I made it to the door. After overcoming the metal detectors, I move towards the dressing room. That's how I got to the exhibition.

On the way to the dressing room I noticed some interesting cosplay costumes. There were already a lot of people and it was clear that I couldn't make it to the the autograph session on time. So I decided to make myself beautiful and at 11am Inara Serra made her appearance at Comic Con Russia. Of course, not many people recognized me, compared to the popular Korra [Editor's note: the title lead character in Nickelodeon's animated TV series 'The Legend of Korra'] costume the next day, but more on that later. Only special people dedicated to the beauty of Firefly and Serenity in the world.

After performing at a cosplay costume contest, I continued to explore the exhibition. I noticed a few stands that are worth a visit in the late afternoon. Also I am pleased with the level of cosplay. Most of the costumes are very well done, and the cosplayers themselves are very nice and friendly.

I think it's time to meet Summer Glau. Let me begin with her performances on stage during which she was asked the following question: "Do you prefer to star in movies or in television series?" And I was surprised by her answer, because it coincides with my own thoughts on this matter. The answer was: "If I had to choose, I think I would have chosen a series. Because there you get the script for only one arch, you know what happens to your character in the series, and you're really living the life of a character. Finding out what happens to them last longer in a particular situation and how he get out of it.". Let's move to the most interesting part of my meeting with Summer Glau.

I have been looking very much forward to meeting Summer. Once again, I checked my costume, not pulled off if I had a wig, lipstick smeared whether or not lost an earring. Everything was great. In the queue, I met a nice man, a fan of Firefly, who was curious to see Summer's reaction when she sees me and let me pass. Now it's my turn to go into the photo op area... In front of me a couple of people. I try to hide behind some kind of lighting device, so that Summer cannot notice me ahead of time. And now it was my turn. I went towards her ... Her reaction is priceless (thanks to the photographer, we have a photo). Summer said at this point: "Woooow, you really look like Inara."

I was overjoyed, more precisely, I thought so until the time came for the autograph session. While I was standing in line, there are was again some hitch, on the stage began the evening shows, about which I had no idea. I quickly ran out of queue, got out; wave his hands something there and came back. My turn, as it turned out, passed, but good people noticed it and let me pass...

Here I had a real surprise. I moved towards Summer with a poster, she saw me, pushed his agent and told him: "Look, this is same girl that I was talking about!" After they asked me questions, I was speechless. My brain just shut down, all possible answers, gratitude, compliments to
Summer flew out of my head. Remained only a desert and a wind-swept tumbleweed. I could only utter a blunt "Thank you ... thank you very much" as a complete idiot. Because Summer asked, "Can I take a picture of you, to show to Morena?"

What happened next felt like a dream. Around was fog of rainbow, unicorns, leprechauns, or maybe it were cosplayers...Summer's agent pulled out a camera and took a few pictures. And Summer, meanwhile, signed my poster and asked to sign another one, but I was so excited, that I didn't even notice how instead a Firefly poster, I pointed out a photo from the Terminator series, but Oh well. When I got out of this room, I screamed for about 30 minutes! It was so incredibly cool and impossible, that even now it is difficult to find words. But in the evening I cursed myself for the numbness, that I was not able to thank her, to say a few words and compliments, as had been planned. Well, I hope that someday I will have another chance to meet her.

Anya met Nathan Fillion at this year's Comic Con Russia and even went on stage during his panel. Read below the report from her meeting with The Firefly and Castle star.

The first time I saw him was on the stage during his first panel. It is such an incredible feeling when you see your idol in front of you and not on TV! It`s something special. The first time I saw him close was at the first photo session. He wasn't that surprised, as Summer Glau had been, actually, but he said “Woow, you look wonderful!» And he`s so gentle and… soft! His palms are unbelievably soft! He shook my hand… 7 times, I guess? He is like a sweet Canadian teddy bear *О*; and I hugged him about 5 times in total!

I was like in the heat of passion after the first photo session with him. As I was in Inara's costume, people were also taking photos with me like last year. However, this time I was standing near the photo op room, so, after queuing for Nathan, people were queuing to take a photo with me. One of them said, that he met Morena Baccarin at some Comic Con in Canada and showed her my photo!!! I just melted inside when I heard the news!

Also, one guy I`ve known for a long time gave me a wonderful Funko figure of Malcolm Reynolds; and Nathan signed it for me later!

A bit about the autograph sessions – first of all, about the one on Saturday and what I had to sign for it (about the 2nd one in Sunday – later). So, I had: the Funko figure, a photo of Mal for an autograph for my friend (who couldn't come to the Con) and “Serenity: Leaves on the Wind” comic book in Russian that I found and printed beforehand. Besides, I prepared a note with questions and words of thanks for him. I did that as I remember my failure at the last Con when Summer Glau was the special guest (I just froze when she said how much I look like Morena and asked to take a photo of me). So I decided to play safe – I may look like an idiot, but say more than just “thank you”. I thanked him and the whole Firefly cast and crew for their work, and for such amazing characters they had created. I also asked for a piece of advice for a young actor (me), and then I asked what he thought about our fleshmob. In the end he took my picture with his phone!
(Looking forward a bit, I met one of his assistants at the Con - an American called Gabrielle. Generally he is responsible for special guests at Comic Con Russia, inviting them to the Con and so on (since 2014). He messaged me on WhatsApp recently and said that Nathan had sent my photo to Morena - she liked it a lot and said «Woow!»)

[...]

Sunday was the very hectic day of all! In the morning (10:30 am) I was wearing the Beckett dress, and several kind people in the queue moved me to the head of the line so I could manage to change the dress later. This time Nathan said nothing, but he looked quite funny - as if he firstly recognized the dress as Beckett`s and only then realized, that it was me impersonating her. (In fact, you have very little time to have the photo taken – just a second to pose and smile for the camera, while the next fan is already coming up.) Then I changed the dress quickly and got back to the very same queue, but at 11:30 am. This time Nathan said: “Oh, it`s you again!”, and I replied: “Yes, and I`m going to see you today once more”. This time I brought a photo with Summer Glau from last year, as I was in the same dress I met Summer in, so I could have a photo with Nathan and me holding the photo with Summer…ok, I hope you got it. So, he stepped back, took my picture with his phone, then took my photo with Summer out of my hands and took another picture without it.

We met once again earlier than I expected – not at the 3d photo session, but on the stage of Comic Con Russia 2016! During Nathan`s panel the host noticed me, asked for the name of the character I was cosplaying and let me pass to the stage. He announced me and called me to come up to him after one of the questions from fans. I thought I was going to die there or stumble and fall on the stage like an idiot. But surprisingly I found myself coming up to Nathan, hugging him; he said: “Well, I`ll make a call to say we don`t need Morena anymore”. (All that you can watch in the video of his panel on Sunday.) Then I asked him perhaps the most stupid question I could think of… (You can watch that in the video as well). Only then I got to the last photo and autograph sessions that I prepared a couple of questions for. I also said I hoped to work with him on something someday. Signing my Castle books, he asked “Are you an actress?” I replied: “Well, I`m finishing my studies”. I remembered, that he had mentioned from the stage that he likes X-men, so I showed him some photos of me cosplaying Storm, and he was just amazed! He was very surprised that it was me in the photos and said that it`s very cool! When he was still signing the books, Isabel Corria Leon (one of Nathan biggest fans) said to me: “Come on, ask him something else while he`s signing!”. Some guy next to me translated that to Nathan, and suddenly he started to sign the last book very-very slow. Like a complete idiot I was standing there without any helpful note with any sort of a prepared text! In the end, I mumbled something like “hope to see you again someday” and left the room… Together with Anna the Amazing Browncoat we waited for a while near the room to look at Nathan for the very last time.

A huge thank you to Alina and Alexander for providing the translation.

To finish in style, I gathered for you a few images of Anya that will blow your mind. From superheroes to video game characters, just take a look at these amazing cosplays in all their glory.